Don't Be Content

Reading the news is so sad, painful and frightening. When I was a teenager, news affected me in a selfish way. It scared me personally, and indeed it certainly still does. But as I've "grown up", I've noticed that compassion has started to play a bigger role. As a teenager, it was, "How does this affect me." Now it's more like, "Oy, that's so terrible. Please, Hashem, end the suffering." I've started to understand the tiniest tip of the iceberg of Wanting Moshiach. I say the tip, because I am sure my desire for Moshiach is lacking much.

And then I'm faced with a confusing thought. We are taught that when Moshiach comes, we will yearn for Galus, for the sole reason that it is only during Galus that we can achieve the magnitude of doing Mitzvos. When Moshiach comes, the challenge to overcome evil and do what's right, will no longer exist, and therefore, we will miss that... So I wonder, are we supposed to be happy to be here? After all, if it's something we're going to miss, shouldn't we be happy here now?

I came to the conclusion of a resounding "No!" Even if we are at a level, where we can actually appreciate the full greatness of that which we achieve when we do Mitzvos in Galus, we are still not meant to be happy and content with Galus, for one reason...

As long as there are other Yidden suffering, we can never be content with Galus. We turn to the Aibershter and say, "Aibershter, we know You say we have such an awesome opportunity here in Galus specifically. And some of us are even fortunate enough to appreciate that to some extent. But, Aibershter, there are other Yidden who are suffering unspeakable pain. Therefore, we don't care how much greatness can be achieved and we don't care if we will miss that aspect of Golus. Please send Moshiach so their suffering can end. Now."